The subject matter herein relates generally to a pluggable connector having a coupling mechanism for securing the pluggable connector to a mating component.
Pluggable cable assemblies may be used to transfer data to and from different communication systems or devices. Known cable assemblies include serial attached (SA) small computer system interface (SCSI) cable assemblies, which may also be referred to as SAS cable assemblies. Such cable assemblies may include a pluggable connector having a mating end and a loading end. The mating end is inserted into a receptacle assembly of the communication system, and the loading end receives a cable of the cable assembly. In some cases, the pluggable connector includes a circuit board that has electrical contacts, such as contact pads, that are exposed at the mating end. The circuit board may be mechanically and electrically coupled to wire conductors of the cable. During a mating operation, the mating end is inserted into a cavity of the receptacle assembly. The electrical contacts at the mating end engage corresponding electrical contacts of a mating connector within the cavity.
When the pluggable connector is engaged with the receptacle assembly, the pluggable connector may experience forces that pull or push the pluggable connector away from the receptacle assembly. For example, deflection forces between the pluggable connector and the mating connector may push the pluggable connector away from the receptacle assembly. Likewise, the cable may be inadvertently pulled. In either case, the pluggable connector and the receptacle assembly may become disengaged thereby disrupting data transmission.
To maintain the communicative engagement, the pluggable connector may include a coupling mechanism having one or more latches that rotate between open and closed positions about an axle. During the mating operation, each latch may be deflected away from the closed position when the corresponding latch engages an edge of the receptacle assembly. At least one known pluggable connector includes a coil spring that returns the latch to the closed position so that the latch may grip a portion the receptacle assembly. Accordingly, the latch may prevent the pluggable connector from being inadvertently withdrawn from the receptacle assembly when in the closed position.
While such coupling mechanisms can be effective, the coil spring and associated axles may occupy space within the pluggable connector that could be used for other purposes. Such coupling mechanisms may also include multiple small parts, such as the coil spring, that can be challenging to assemble. Pluggable connectors such as those described above may also include internal fasteners that secure different parts of the pluggable connector to one another. Again, such fasteners may occupy space that could be used for other purposes and may further complicate the assembly process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a pluggable connector having a coupling mechanism that occupies less space within the pluggable connector and may have a simpler construction than other known coupling mechanisms.